Luminous low excitation voltage phosphor display structure deposition

Abstract

A low excitation voltage luminescent phosphor screen structure is presented applicable to vacuum visual displays and other devices. The phosphor grains utilized in the luminescent screen are strongly bonded with molecular colonies of conductive metal oxide, which allows for the deposited layers of these phosphors to be excited to luminosity at significantly lower voltages than were previously possible. Also presented are methods for production and increasing the quality and control of low cost mass production of such luminescent screens with no toxic gas emission.

1 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a transparent substrate;    a transparent conductive layer covering said transparent substrate; and    a luminescent layer covering said transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer.    
     
     
         2 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1  wherein the transparent insulating substrate comprises glass.  
     
     
         3 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1  wherein the transparent conductive layer is comprised of indium-tin oxide.  
     
     
         4 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1  wherein said transparent conductive layer is comprised of indium oxide.  
     
     
         5 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1 , wherein said luminescent layer comprises luminescent particles adhered to said transparent conductive layer using indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ).  
     
     
         6 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a non-transparent substrate;    a non-transparent conductive layer covering said non-transparent substrate; and    a luminescent layer covering said non-transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer.    
     
     
         7 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1  wherein the non-transparent insulating substrate comprises a silicon substrate.  
     
     
         8 . The luminescent screen of  claim 1  wherein the non-transparent conductive layer is comprised of aluminum.  
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacture of a phosphor screen comprising: 
 a) mixing phosphor particles and indium nitrate in a non-aqueous solvent,    b) electrophoretically depositing the phosphors on a conductive surface, and    c) heat-treating the phosphor-coated assembly to produce a phosphor screen wherein each phosphor is embedded in and partially coated with indium oxide.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said non-aqueous solvent is isopropyl alcohol.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein 1-10% by volume glycerol has been added to said non-aqueous solvent.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein indium oxide is co-deposited with said phosphor particles.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein indium nitride (InN) has been added to said deposition solution.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said phosphor is chosen from the group of phosphors consisting of zinc oxide phosphors, zinc sulfide phosphors, zinc cadmium sulfide phosphors and rare earth phosphors.  
     
     
         15 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a transparent insulating substrate;    a transparent conductive layer covering said transparent insulating substrate; and    a luminescent layer covering said transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer; said phosphor grains being chosen from the group of phosphors consisting of zinc oxide phosphors, zinc sulfide phosphors, zinc cadmium sulfide phosphors and rare earth phosphors.    
     
     
         16 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a transparent insulating substrate;    a transparent conductive layer covering said transparent insulating substrate; and a luminescent layer covering said transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer, wherein solid indium oxide particles are mixed with said phosphor grains.    
     
     
         17 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a non-transparent insulating substrate;    a non-transparent conductive layer covering said non-transparent insulating substrate; and    a luminescent layer covering said non-transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer; said phosphor grains being chosen from the group of phosphors consisting of zinc oxide phosphors, zinc sulfide phosphors, zinc cadmium sulfide phosphors and rare earth phosphors.    
     
     
         18 . A luminescent screen comprising: 
 a non-transparent insulating substrate;    a non-transparent conductive layer covering said non-transparent insulating substrate; and a luminescent layer covering said non-transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer, wherein solid indium oxide particles are mixed with said phosphor grains.    
     
     
         19 . A phosphor screen structure comprising: 
 a transparent substrate;    a transparent conductive layer covering said transparent substrate; and    a luminescent phosphor layer covering said transparent conductive layer, said luminescent layer comprising phosphor grains imbedded in and partially to fully covered by a conductive oxide layer.